Leveling basement floor

[cmj1965]

I waterproofed my basement last year with your firm and am happy with the results. I am using the Waterguard System. I am getting ready to start finishing my basement and have several questions.

1 - my floor is very uneven and I will need to level it. Is Standard concrete the material of choice to even the floor? Is there another product that is used other than concrete to level the floor.

2 - Since I am leveling the floor, is a subfloor necessary.

3 - Should I put up a vapor barrier on the wall before putting up the framing or is that overkill since I have the waterguard system installed.

[Mark]

There are specific products made for leveling concrete floors. The are strong, thin and self leveling. However we do not sell any products like this. You may want to talk with a concrete company or concrete an masonry repair company.

Sub floors are usually recomended for several reasons.
1. they can act as a thermal break from the cold concrete surface.
2. They make the floor feel softer then any floor covering you can put on concrete.
3. They also create a moisture break or dampness from the concrete from penetrating the flooring causing it to smell, rot, get moldy or feel damp. However if you use a wood sub floor you can loose about 4" of headroom and the wood can get damp or mold growth can occur from and moisture or vapor transmission.

I would highly recommend a moisture barrier on the walls that is tucked into the Waterguard system. We offer three different barriers if you are interested. For someone finishing their basement I would recommend ThermalDry Wall Membrane. it has a dimmple drainage system that faces the wall and a aluminum reflective covering that faces the interior of the room. With a minimum of 1" spacing it will help reflect upto 98% of the heat back into the room.